A crunching goal-line tackle by forward Alex Russell early in the first half swung the momentum as Canada scored 29 straight points in a 29-5 win over Japan at the HSBC Canada Sevens rugby tournament Sunday at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.
Russell’s bruising hit knocked a Japanese ball carrier out of bounds inches before he scored the game’s first points. The Canadians responded by moving down the field and taking the lead.
“It was a hell of a tackle,” said playmaker Cooper Coats, who kicked two converts in the victory. “We needed that early.
“We pride ourselves on our defence. We want to be that stubborn team on defence, not letting anyone through. That was just one of the examples of one of the guys putting their body on the line.”
Besides his defence, Russell scored two tries in the win. Captain Phil Berna, Jake Thiel and Anton Ngongo also scored for Canada.
Coming into the tournament head coach Henry Paul said Canada’s goal was to reach the tournament’s quarter-finals. After winning just one of three games Saturday, the best Canada can finish is ninth. The Canadians lost 26-10 to Australia and 19-14 to South Africa before beating Spain 26-10 Saturday.
An Easter Bunny with floppy ears was among the colourful and imaginative costumes in the crowd at B.C. Place. There also was a pony with a blue mane, workers in hard hats and vets, three characters from the Handmaid’s Tale and several loud sport jackets decorated with Maple Leafs.
‘We’re slowly gelling’
The Canadian side competing at this year’s tournament is a young, rebuilding squad after 10 veterans retired from the sevens team that finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics.
“As a group I think we’re slowly gelling together,” said Russell. “We’re starting to look a bit better. We know everyone on the field can do some damage on both sides of the ball.”
The Canadian men have 24 points in the first five tournaments of the World Rugby Seven Series, leaving them tied for 13th place with Wales among the 19 teams competing.
South Africa leads the standings with 98 points after winning the first four tournaments. Australia and Argentina are tied for second with 83 points. Spain is ninth with 36 points.
Canada needs to collect as many points as possible in the final three tournaments of the year to finish among the top 14 countries and avoid being relocated off the tour.
“I think we’re just a bunch of gamers at the end of the day,” said Berna. “We just want to win. We just want to go out, compete and execute.”
Canada’s best result this year was a sixth-place finish in Malaga, Spain. Canada had won just one of 11 games in the two tournaments prior to Vancouver.
WATCH | Rugby Sevens returns to Vancouver:
Canada’s men’s rugby sevens team takes on Australia, South Africa and Spain in the only Canadian stop on the Rugby Sevens tour. CBC Sports’ Andrea Burk joins Signa Butler to break it all down. 3:16
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